Midway through Championship Week, the tickets to the Big Dance are being punched and we're just days away from Selection Sunday and the time to fill out those bracket pools.
It's the beginning of March Madness, and there's no better time of the spring.
With that, it's time to preview the field.
First, everyone will be looking for this year's George Mason, the small school that defies the odds and pulls off a few upsets in the tournament.
The teams to keep an eye on are Big South Conference champion Winthrop and Southern Conference champion Davidson.
A team in the NCAA Tournament in seven of the last nine years, Winthrop is no stranger to the spotlight. In the past two years, the Eagles have given scares to No. 3-seeded Gonzaga and No. 2-seeded Tennessee before bowing out.
This could be Winthrop's year, as it has dropped only four games this season, all of them to Top 25 teams in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas A&M and Maryland. The Eagles have won 18 games in a row going into the tournament and appear primed to make a deep run.
Davidson has an equally impressive resume, also losing only four games. The Wildcats have dropped games to Michigan, Missouri, Duke and Appalachian State, all possibilities to break into the tournament field this year.
The best place to start with title contenders is the defending national champions, the Florida Gators.
Al Horford and Joakim Noah provide many problems for Florida's opponents, as they combine for 25 points, 17 rebounds and just under four blocks per game. Taurean Green averages 13 points per game and combines with Lee Humphrey to form a lethal tandem from the perimeter.
Then there's the nation's No. 1 team, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Thad Five is led by none other than Greg Oden, who leads Ohio State in points (15.3), rebounds (9.3) and blocks (3.5) per game. Oden's presence underneath will cause trouble for any team the Buckeyes face this month. Ron Lewis, Daequan Cook and Mike Conley provide the other scoring threats for Ohio State, who should be the No. 1 overall seed when the tournament field is announced.
I would give some mention to Kansas here, but those who follow college basketball know never to have Kansas go far in their brackets. Ever.
You can't rule out UCLA, North Carolina and Wisconsin from making deep runs this year either. Memphis, Nevada and Southern Illinois could make some noise as three of the best mid-majors in the country.
As for predictions, keep in mind these are subject to several changes. Winthrop is a legitimate Sweet 16 team and could even see the Elite Eight if placed in a favorable bracket. Davidson should be able to pull off a first-round upset.
And the national championship? Let's call it a rematch from this year's BCS National Championship Game: Ohio State against Florida.
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Jason Fazzone
Mid-major surprises could break brackets this March
